2019 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Rules and Terms

Before submitting, please read through all the rules and terms below. By submitting your project, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to all of the following. All projects that have been submitted by our final deadline and that adhere to the following terms will be considered for inclusion in the 2019 Atlanta Film Festival.

If you have any further questions, please visit our FAQ page here.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition is open to any writer from anywhere in the world. However, the Atlanta Film Festival prides itself on highlighting the work of independent and emerging writers and filmmakers. Therefore, we prefer, but do not require, that our screenwriters have not had previous screenplays produced by non-independent companies or groups.

Submitted screenplays should not have been optioned, purchased, or otherwise produced at the time of submission. If your screenplay is optioned or purchased during the duration of the competition, please contact us immediately.

Writers can submit as many screenplays as they’d like to the competition. Each submission requires an application, payment and original screenplay.

We happily accept screenplays with more than one author or contributor. Please make note of each author’s name in your submission. Should a screenplay with two or more writers be named a winner of the competition, the award will be divided equally among them.

Screenplays should be formatted according to current industry standards. Pages must be numbered and typed in 12 point Courier font with standard margins. All entries must be submitted in English. Brief dialogue in another language is acceptable so long as an English translation is provided.

We do not have a rule regarding title pages. But it is recommended that include the title, author(s) and any relevant registration or copyright information.

Screenplays should be submitted only as a PDF. We WILL NOT accept Word .docs, Final Draft, Celtx or any other file formats.

Screenplays MUST be submitted to the correct category. Any screenplay submitted to the wrong category (based on both genre and page count) is subject to disqualification.

All screenplays will reviewed by festival staff, but due to the high volume of submissions we will not be able to provide feedback on entries.

DEADLINES AND PRICES

10. The Deadlines for the 2019 Atlanta Screenplay Competitions are as follows:

11. Submissions without payment will not be considered. If the submitter fails to pay the submission fee associated with their deadline by 11:59 EST, their submission fee will be increased to coincide with the new deadline. Any unpaid or partially paid submission at the time of submissions closing will be disqualified. Unsolicited screenplays sent by email or mail will not be considered.

REFUNDS AND REVISIONS

12. All screenplays are considered complete once the Programming Office receives them. No revisions or updated copies will be accepted. Please be sure to carefully review and edit your screenplay before submitting.

13. Once a project is listed “In Consideration” on Withoutabox or FilmFreeway, we are unable to offer refunds for any reason, including (but not limited to):

14. Feature Screenplays can be between 40-130 pages in length. Anything outside of that page range will not be considered for the competition. We accept feature screenplays of any genre.

15. Pilot Screenplays can be between 10-70 pages in length. Upon submission, the writer must indicate the nature of the television screenplay: webisode, half-hour, hour, mini-series, comedy, drama, or any combination of the above.

Supplementary materials are not required for Pilot Screenplays. In addition, we cannot guarantee that any supplementary materials will be reviewed. However, you can include them in your submission packet or email them to screenplay@atlantafilmfestival.com. Supplementary materials include, but are not limited to: concept summaries, character descriptions, and future episode summaries.

16. Short Film Screenplays can be between 5-40 pages in length. We accept short film screenplays of any genre.

17. Georgia Screenplays can be of any length or genre, but must be written by a writer currently resides in Georgia.

There is no separate prize for Georgia Screenplays. This category acts, instead, as a discount to Georgia based writers. Submitters to this category MUST designate the screenplay’s secondary category, either feature, pilot, or short film, in their submission information for award purposes.

If this category applies to your screenplay, you may obtain the password by emailing GA@atlantafilmfestival.com. If you submit in this category without meeting the necessary criteria, you will be disqualified from consideration and will not be issued a refund.

18. Prizes

Quarterfinalist, Semifinalists, and Finalists - The ATLFF Screenplay Competition includes the top screenplay submissions in Quarterfinalists, Semifinalists, and Finalists lists. This practice is meant to honor those screenplays of merit that show promise and skill in the medium, but may not advance to the winning round.

The winners of the pilot and short film competitions will receive a one-on-one consultation with an industry professional in their genre. For pilots, we provide consultation with an Atlanta writer working in either the television or web series industry. For short films, we provide consultation with a short film writer/director in the Atlanta area who has extensive experience with production and the festival circuit. These opportunities are designed to give our winners the chance to sit down and talk about the next steps for their script, discuss paths for jump starting or furthering their career, and develop a connection with someone who can serve as a mentor on future projects.

The winners of the feature screenplay competition will be given the opportunity to participate in our annual Atlanta Film Festival Screenwriter’s Retreat. This exclusive, all expenses paid program offers our winners the chance to sit down with industry members and workshop their screenplay one-on-one during a two day retreat. Our mentors are all screenwriters who have worked in the industry, had festival success with their work, and earned major academic qualifications. This workshop is one of our most lauded successes and gives our winners invaluable experience that will help bolster not only their current screenplay but their future work as well.

All winners also receive an All Access Badge to the Atlanta Film Festival where they can network with directors and industry members from all over the world. At the festival, they will also have the opportunity to take part in a staged reading of their screenplay for the festival attendees. This reading will be conducted by Atlanta SAG actors which provides the invaluable experience of hearing your words brought to life in front of an audience of filmmakers, industry members, and general movie lovers.

All winners will have the opportunity to take part in a staged reading of their screenplay for the festival attendees. This reading will be conducted by Atlanta SAG actors which provides the invaluable experience of hearing your words brought to life in front of an audience of filmmakers, industry members, and general movie lovers.

*Estimated value of Goods/Services: 2,500 U.S. Dollar

COPYRIGHT

19. Feature screenplays and television screenplays must be the original work of the writer(s). If the screenplay is based on another person’s life, writer(s) must also attach a signed statement acknowledging and approving of adaptation. A screenplay containing copyrighted ideas, characters, or storylines without the proper paperwork will be disqualified.

20. By submitting to the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition you are affirming the following:

That the screenplay being entered is the sole work of the writer or writers who in totality contributed 100% of the contents of the screenplay.

That for works written by more than one writer, all writers have agreed to submit the work for consideration.

That for works written by more than one writer, any collaborators no longer involved and not claiming copyright privileges over the material have relinquished their claim to copyright in writing, or electronically, proof of which can be provided.

That the screenwriter(s) has permission to use any work included in the screenplay that they have not written themselves.

21. The Atlanta Film Festival reserves the right to disqualify any screenplay at any time without refund, even after the competition has ended or prizes have been awarded, at the sole discretion of ATLFF staff.